Missing at Apple: Where's the Vision?

A lot has been made, and will continue to be made about the lack of new products and jaw-dropping moments at this year's Macworld Keynote. It's the not the lack of a new Mac Mini, or new iMac that worries me. It's not that the iPhone nano still hasn't materialized. It's that the over-arching vision for the company doesn't seem to exist anymore.

Probably the most distinct, singular vision from Apple came when Steve Jobs proclaimed the Mac would serve as a digital hub. With this vision, everything from iTunes to iPhoto and even drivers were designed. The digital hub vision guided each part of the company. Jobs' proclamation of the digital hub though was nearly eight years ago now. Two years ago we were first introduced to the iPhone, Apple's most innovative product in quite some time. When you make a product that's cool, intuitive, and groundbreaking, you can get a great response. The problem is, at some point if you're a maker of more than one device, each item needs to work together, and form the core of what the company's overall strategy will be over the next several years.

What is Apple's strategy now? All indications are to take the products they're already making, and make them incrementally better. Other electronics companies have been doing this for years, but this isn't what we expect from Apple. There should be a clear vision of where we go from here. With the capabilities of the iPhone and iPod, the Mac as a digital hub is dated. What's the new vision? Is it everything in "the cloud?" Is it everything you need in life, to go? While Apple has slowly, dipped a toe into both of these visions, you can't push a cloud strategy while overcharging for MobileMe and soon charging for iWork.com , You can't push a take-your-life-with-you strategy when people can't even copy and paste.

Tell us where you're going Apple. What's it all about?

Share your Macworld Memories

As we enjoy the last Macworld with Apple in attendance, we want to know about your favorite moments from Keynotes past. There was the Schiller jump in 1997, the G4 cube launch, Powerbook G4 (power to go!) Or Steve's first MWSF keynote after returning to Apple. Let us know in the comments below...

Last-Minute Pre-Macworld TDL Live

Our last-minute look at all the pre-Macworld news. And, one more time, join us for live video starting at 11:30 AM ET Tuesday!

Final Predictions from The Digital Lifestyle Staff

Well, there's not much time left before we know what shiny new things Apple will unveil at this year's MWSF Keynote. This is probably also a good time to remind you we will live video coverage during the keynote, starting at 11:30 AM ET.

Now then, here's a look at what Adam, Jamie, and myself think will happen tomorrow:

Ryan:
New iMac:
I say it's a done deal, but not anything exciting. Speedbumps and larger drives. The one surprise would be touchscreen functionality.

Netbook:
If Apple Doesn't have something tomorrow to compete with the low-price netbook craze (yes, I'm calling it a craze), it could bode very poorly for the stock over the next year or so. People will buy $499 machines that do 90% of the stuff they want. The MacBook Air is the perfect product, but it's about $1,200 too expensive.

Home media server:
Let's hope not. How about getting AppleTV right first.

iPhone Nano:
I said we would see this a year ago, and I stick by it. I don't know what it does, or what you take away from it to keep the "regular" iPhone relevant, but I think we get one tomorrow.

Mac mini:
Let's hope so. This computer could be put into use in many, many clever ways with just a few tweaks.

Wildcard/one more thing:
Steve will make an appearance, but perhaps only via iChat, or some other way that shows off a cool new feature. Perhaps a new twist on Remote desktop. See, Steve can do all his work from home!

Jamie:
New imac:
Looks like new iMacs are a done deal, but I don't think we'll see anything other than a speed bump. No case design or new features. I don't expect Phil to even mention them.

Netbook:
This seems like too big of an announcement not to have Steve there, but I am gonna say we get a Netbook or what I'm calling the "New Mac Mini." Oh and expect it to be over priced at $799.

Home media server:
Not a chance. This is a niche market.

iPhone Nano:
The beans have been all put spilled by the case manufacturers. This thing is real, but don't expect to see it Tuesday. This is too big a deal for the now dying Mac World. I'd guess we'll see an iPhone event in the coming months.

Wildcards/one more thing:
Looks like a revamp to the 17 inch MBP is on the way. This would fit in nicely with a netbook appearance. Remember when the 17 inch and 12 inch Powerbooks made their debut? Could we see a return of the Mini Me / Yao Ming commercial?

Adam
New iMac:
It's not time for a new imac. The latest imac was released early 2008 making it just about a year old. I think we get a new iMac first half of 2009 but not during Macworld.

Netbook:
Did someone say Macbook Air? They're playing in the high end of this market. Granted it's no 10" display and doesn't have the attractive price point, but since when has apple concerned itself with the low end?? The last I recall is the eMac and that went the way of all things. I say no netbook at Macworld.

Home media server:
They already have that little hobby called the Apple TV. If anything we might get a refresh of this product but we absolutely won't be getting a media server. It was this time last year the AppleTV got a shot of seroids . . . look for Macworld to do the same both boosting storage capacity as well as the AppleTV software.

iPhone Nano:
I don't think so.

Wildcards/one more thing:
Did someone say MacMini? It hasn't seen an update since Mid 2007 and is LONG overdue. I think we get a new MacMini to support the mini display connection on the new displays. I think new MacMini is a feature of the keynote not a "one more thing". It's going to get a speed bump and lets lose the integrated graphics . . . no one wants integrated, we all want MORE. With the speed bump lets support 2x the memory. 2GB simply isn't a LOT and the new MacBooks support 4GB so lets get with the program folks. Don't forget cosmetic changes. After all they need something else to manufacture with the super cool, show stopping water jet a block of al-u-min-e-um process they've come up with.

So there you have it, our final predictions. Be sure to join us for video, and live chat. Oh and don't forget twitter: tdllive

Jobs Puts The Pundits To Rest. For Awhile, At Least

In a surprisingly candid moment, Steve Jobs today shared details of his health issues on the eve of Apple's last appearance at Macworld. Jobs says in his letter on the Apple website that a hormone imbalance is responsible for his noticeable weight loss over the last year.

I'm torn as to whether it should have ever come to this. Were we (and I mean the Mac community) wrong in being concerned not only about Jobs personally, but about the fate of the company? Was Jobs wrong in not being adamant enough that he was not on his deathbed? Reading the last line of his post, "So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this," I can't help but feel a little guilty that this person, a human being, had to be so public in disclosing personal health information. Hopefully, both the rumor mill and wall street can let this rest for awhile now.